The $11.1 million property tax that undergirds capital investment in Jefferson Parish's water system is up for renewal on the May 4 ballot. The tax has been around for more than three decades, and voters have regularly extended it at 10-year intervals, mostly recently at 5 mills.

It's one of four property tax renewals on the ballot. The others finance public education, sewerage in most of the parish and fire protection in the Terrytown and Timberlane area.

Although voters have authorized the water tax at 5 mills, the parish levied only 3.54 mills last year, generating $11.1 million, according to the Sheriff's Office, which collects the revenue for parish agencies. That's because the Parish Council has reduced the tax to avoid collecting more money as real estate values have risen.

If voters extend the tax, the council could set it at 5 mills or lower. If the tax is not extended, said Water Director Doug Vincent, "That would bring our capital improvements to a standstill."

At 5 mills, the tax would cost $12.50 a year for an owner-occupied $100,000 house, $62.50 for one valued at $200,000 and $112.50 for one valued at $300,000. For businesses, the tax would be $75 on one valued at $100,000, $225 on one valued at $300,000 and $375 for one valued at $500,000.

The Water Department is a 264-person operation that draws water from the Mississippi River, purifies it and delivers it to 146,159 customers. It hasn't recorded a health violation in West Jefferson since 2008, in East Jefferson for more than 10 years, according to state records. In 2012, it issued one boil-water notice, on Grand Isle for Hurricane Isaac, parish officials said.

In addition to property owners paying taxes to finance the department, customers pay user fees on their bimonthly bills. The fees this year are expected to produce about $32.2 million this year. The fees generally pay for personnel and other operating expenses.

The department treats river water at four plants at its East Jefferson complex, 3600 Jefferson Highway, and two at the West Jefferson waterworks at 4500 West Bank Expressway. It stores water in a ground tank in Marrero and eight elevated tanks around the parish.

The tax helps maintain and improve these properties, as well as 1,600 miles of underground pipes, 20,000 valves and 15,000 fire hydrants, parish officials said. Pipes regularly fail, requiring parish or contractor crews to dig them up and repair them.

"We average probably three or four (pipe) breaks a day," Alikhani said.